


Like a Million Raindrops

by Taimat



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-20
Updated: 2011-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/267034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taimat/pseuds/Taimat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post shooshpap. Gamzee heeds his moirail-y duties and takes care of Karkat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like a Million Raindrops

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning: mentions of SI

_shoosh…_

Karkat sniffles and shifts in his lap, and Gamzee runs a warm hand smoothly down his back. The smaller troll settles again, and Gamzee sighs.

It isn’t Karkat’s fault that Gamzee has up and turned into a really fucking touchy moirail. Unless maybe Karkat had started it all with the shoosh pap thing, but Gamzee isn’t about to hold a brother to that. Either way, he apparently hadn’t been planning on being lifted clear from the ground and cuddled whenever he gets grumpy - which is often; Gamzee is all for not shirking his moirail-y duties, since he’s a reliable motherfucker like that - but as soon as he’d touched the ground again, all rumpled and perturbed, but more amused than grumpy, Gamzee’s eyes had instantly found the raised welts peeking over the top of his pants.

This had, of course, resulted in more moirail-y duties in the form of Gamzee wrestling the smaller troll to the ground to find out what was wrong with him, since Karkat couldn’t be relied upon to up and tell him himself.

Honestly, Gamzee hadn’t been entirely surprised to discover that no one had attacked him - which meant he didn’t need to get his revenge on - but that meant that Karkat was doing it to himself. There wasn’t much for Gamzee to do for them, since Karkat had clawed his skin up just shy of breaking it and there was nothing to bandage or really even tend to. He knew Karkat would never go and spill his own blood, too many years of hiding firmly ingrained and ensuring a brother could never lose his shit like that.

That left the why.

Gamzee could understand a motherfucking coping mechanism when he saw one. He could understand when things felt like too much, piling on you until you felt like you were either going to break down or break someone else. He could understand.

But why?

He was hit with Karkat’s anger, first. His anger that Gamzee would have the gall to even do something like that—

 _motherfuckin’ moirails, brother_

—and anger that he’d been found out. That Gamzee felt like he needed to do something about it.

Karkat is all for taking care of himself. Gamzee knows that. But sometimes, a brother needs more help than he wants to ask for, and Gamzee kinda figures that’s the point of having a moirail.

As soon as Gamzee sighed above him, feeling equal parts pity and hurt and not about to hide it, Karkat had shifted again, near overwhelming him with apologies and excuses.

Everything was his fault. He should have been a better friendleader. He should have created a better universe. He should have done his job. He should have listened. He should have kept a better eye on Gamzee. And he was sorry. So fucking sorry—

Gamzee gave up listening and gathered the smaller troll into his arms, sitting up and back so that Karkat could perch sideways in his lap and Gamzee could curl around him. Karkat’s struggles died down fairly quickly, probably on account of Gamzee being stronger as much as Karkat being exhausted.

Which leaves them where they are now.

Karkat’s head is nudged underneath Gamzee’s chin, his nubby horns of no real concern, and Gamzee’s breath ruffles his hair. The taller troll pretends that he can’t feel tears on his neck. His blood pusher’s starting to ache, he feels so much motherfucking pity for the brother in his arms.

“I wish I’d up and got here sooner. Coulda been more of a motherfucking help.”

Karkat stirs again, probably to either deny that he needs help or to apologize again, but Gamzee raises one hand to pat at his hair, and he relaxes again with a shuddery little breath that makes him seem so small, so damn small and helpless.

 _…pap._

“But I’m here now, brother. And I’m gonna take care of you.”


End file.
